Fitness Tracker Recommendation

Sodium on 06/08/2024 - 10:11
Last edited 06/08/2024 - 10:31

Hi Everyone,

Just after some fitness tracker recommendations for my dad who will be turning 50 years old.

Budget is around $300 can push a little extra if needed. Just need something that will track steps (something like setting up a goal of 10,000 steps that apple watches do), heart rate monitor and good battery life.

From my research the following are viable options:

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 or 8 Pro - Under $100
Huawei GT2e Sport Smart Watch - $299
Garmin Vívoactive 4S - Currently On Sale For $299
Certified Refurbished Apple Watch SE GPS - $339

Any other recommendations would be highly appreciated, even something cheaper would be great. Can't see many with any offers or on sale either.

Thanks!

Edit**
Forgot to add Renewed Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 44MM) - From Amazon for $282, which seems a lot better than SE in terms of features such as having Blood Oxygen and ECG.

Electrical & Electronics Activity Tracker

Comments

Sammy2000 on 06/08/2024 - 11:17

Pixel watch. version 3 is about to be released so version 1 is $184 at JB and version 2 might be about to drop in price.
- jv on 06/08/2024 - 12:14
  
  Pixel watch. version 3
  
  Will that work with iphones?
  - neoleo on 06/08/2024 - 22:45
    
    Apple watch is best with iphone as ECG in Apple Watch will only work with iphone. Apple watch is the most accurate smart watch among many other brands. Check youtube: The Quantified Scientist
    https://m.youtube.com/@TheQuantifiedScientist
    
    The guy is the only one in the world that check and compare the accuracy of smart watches, fitness trackers, smart rings, etc.
    
    Comparison with a lot of smart watches, fitness trackers, smart rings, etc.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cNVV1PwwpmY
    
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jeng4cLvKkA
    
    It's really interesting to watch his videos :)
    - jv on 06/08/2024 - 22:47
      
      Apple watch is best
      
      But waaaaayyy overpriced.
      - neoleo on 06/08/2024 - 22:52
        
        @jv: My watch brand is no.2 after Apple Watch ;-) in term of heart rate accuracy, but not good for sleep tracking.
        
        Check Huawei Band 9. It's no.2 brand after Apple Watch for heart rate accuracy. Sold in Big W, so Australia warranty :)
        
        Btw, I have Huawei GT-Runner, bought during Black Friday from Ozb info :)
- neoleo on 06/08/2024 - 22:47
  
  Pixel watch has very short battery life. I think most older people would prefer longer battery life like recharge once a week or fortnightly or longer.
toniyellow on 06/08/2024 - 12:25

I got my mum a fitbit because it has an easy integration with these:

Medibank Live Better - steps get points you can trade for a payment towards your premium if you use medibank health insurance.

Qantas Wellbeing - Qantas Health insurance members get one level of qantas points for steps, non-insurance holder get a lower level of points to steps. You can compete with friends / family - the social aspect really motivates my mum, more than anything else.

I'd consider if there is a chance there are any apps he would want to use with the tracker, and check they support the device you purchase.
ihbh on 06/08/2024 - 12:42

Just need something that will track steps (something like setting up a goal of 10,000 steps that apple watches do), heart rate monitor and good battery life.

Garmin. Will measure other health stats as well. E.g Venu sq has been $99; Instinct 2 has been $179 recently. For $300 you can get something that lasts weeks before having to recharge.
scotty on 06/08/2024 - 13:27

If you are just going to track the steps and heart rate throughout the day (i.e. no need of GPS tracking nor extra smartwatch functionalities), I'll just go with the latest Xiaomi Mi Band. You'll have quite a bit of left over from the budget where you can spend on accessories (better looking watch band for example).
- n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 06/08/2024 - 16:59
  
  I have the Miband 8 Pro and can +1 Xiaomi.
  for the price it is excellent, step tracker is accurate and smart, has solid connection to phone and great bluetooth range (I can receive notifs from 2 rooms away from the phone). battery life is great you just need to set it up correctly (with raise to wake schedule, do not disturb schedule and notifs on when on wrist). I can get around 6 to 10 days before I charge.
  
  step tracker is accurate, and smart so knows when you haven't walked but just moved (I think it counts to 10 steps and if you haven't moved anymore after that it deletes, but if you keep walking it +10 steps plus whatever you actually walk) but that's about it for the sensors.
  heart sensor is not accurate. I know because I have low resting heart rate and should be 70 something. but always detects too high for the first 15-30 seconds like 80 or 90, then drops back down to 70 something which is what it should be.
  I would not rely on blood oxygen sensor at all at this price useless, but at it's price it didn't really even need it.
  
  same deal with features/sensor on pricier stuff like Pixel watch though, they might do heart rate and blood oxygen well but don't count on ECG being accurate at all.
  
  I don't use GPS (Miband 8 Pro only feature). it's just a nice to have on the 8 Pro. but I think if you use it the battery will drain very quickly. it's a small fitness tracker so the battery isn't that big. plus side of small battery though is it is fast to charge. takes about 1 hour from 20% to full and only 35 mins from 50% to full.
  
  one thing I noticed though, is it doesn't like being charged to 100% battery. after charging to 100% for the first 5 times I noticed the on screen charging indication goes away at 90% and so it's a bit harder to tell when it's fully charged (this is a hint I think from Xiaomi). everytime I charged to 100% the battery % drops quite quickly to like 96% 94% within the 2 to 3 hours of taking it off the charger.
  I took the hint from Xiaomi and started taking it off the charger at 90% (when the indicator with green line around the edge goes away). when you do this the charge doesn't drop quickly like it does when you charge 100%. it stayed at 90% for the next 6 hours and even dropped slower in % after that.
  
  I think this is the best method for battery health because another user also mentioned the battery on their Miband 8 dying within a year or something. I recommend charging to 90% every time unless you need it to be absolutely necessary to get max battery life and charging to 100%.
  
  edit, oh and one tip for Miband's is. if you want to set it up with the app as your country you want the Global version. there is China version and Global version for every model (with China version usually being slightly cheaper on aliexpress). another downside to China version is some areas of the UI will have chinese text instead of english, which you can't change.
TheFreaK on 06/08/2024 - 14:54

Family member got a Xiaomi Mi Band 7 Pro recently and we're both quite impressed by it, only cost $50 and is honestly pretty solid.
neoleo on 06/08/2024 - 23:28

Op, Huawei GT2e is too old already released since 2020, think battery degradation and less accuracy.

I think most older person would prefer longer battery life for fitness tracker or smart watch. Apple watch has very short battery life and only good if your dad already have iphone. Apple watch SE doesn't have ECG. ECG in Apple Watch only works with iphone. ECG is good to use for older person actually. Apple Watch is no.1 in term of accuracy if compared with many other brands.

For accuracy test of mi band 8, watch:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BRfoWHPQG5c

I don't recommend mi band 8 as it is less accurate. There are other more accurate fitness trackers.

No.2 brand for heart rate accuracy is Huawei. Check this comparison for example:
https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/183237/114827/screensh…
It's from OnePlus watch accuracy test.

Accuracy tests of Huawei Band 9:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3myw5AbYWRA

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oCWM_GP26q0

It's best to wear smart watch or fitness tracker on left hand side. Someone mentioned in one of the video that our heart is closer to our left hand if compared with right hand, make sense.

So, maybe you can consider Huawei Band 9 fitness tracker and it's affordable too. It is sold in Big W (Australia warranty) here:
https://www.bigw.com.au/product/huawei-band-9-freebuds-se-2-…

If you want to see other videos of that guy, check Youtube The Quantified Scientist here:
https://m.youtube.com/@TheQuantifiedScientist/videos

That guy is the only one in the world that check and compare the accuracy of smart watches, fitness trackers, smart rings, etc.
- n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 06/08/2024 - 23:36
  
  +1
  
  maybe you can consider Huawei Band 9 fitness tracker and it's affordable too.
  
  if you don’t need buds the Yellow Band 9 is $70 delivered from Amazon UK via Amazon AU atm (yes technically no AU warranty but if something breaks Amazon refunded me for international items). https://www.amazon.com.au/HUAWEI-Comfortable-Science-Based-I…
  
  even without Prime delivery is free because over $59 and is also faster than you think last item I got took about 4 days from UK.
  
  I just noticed the yellow has the cheese hole band. I prefer solid band ymmv.
  - neoleo on 06/08/2024 - 23:42
    
    Nice find :)
    
    I thought for that link, warranty is covered by Amazon anyway. So, no need to worry about warranty claim. Other colours are a bit more in price.
    - n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 06/08/2024 - 23:43
      
      tbh I didn’t know Huawei Band 9 got that cheap. $70 is less than $80 I paid for Xiaomi band 8 pro. oh well very happy with band 8 Pro just need it for step count, vibe timer, battery life and notifs which it is great for.
      
      also
      
      Caution: some of other colours are from 3rd party seller I would avoid buying from 3rd party on Amazon.
      
      fulfilled by Amazon at minimum for me anyway. if you buy shipped and sold from 3rd party seller Amazon holds no responsibility after sale.
    - n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 06/08/2024 - 23:45
      
      I thought for that link, warranty is covered by Amazon anyway.
      
      it’s technically grey area, because store is in UK, but you are buying through Amazon AU storefront.
      
      so technically not sure if Amazon has to do anything regarding warranty. but they are a huge company so they tend to keep customers happy. 🙂 I mean their slogan/logo is a smile.
      
      also if OP is wondering, I bought miband 8 pro from Amazon JP and it was global version you can setup with country as Australia.
      
      trackers sold outside china is global version. China version only option when buying from china (aliexpress etc).

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